diff --git a/src/bot/root_pythia_bot.py b/src/bot/root_pythia_bot.py
index d53a7c8..84104e7 100644
--- a/src/bot/root_pythia_bot.py
+++ b/src/bot/root_pythia_bot.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 from bot.dummy_db_manager import DummyDBManager
 
 
-CHANNEL_ID = getenv("CHANNEL_ID")
+CHANNEL_ID = int(getenv("CHANNEL_ID"))
 
 
 def craft_intents():
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ def craft_intents():
 
 
 ########### Setup bot events response ###############
+@BOT.check
+def is_my_channel(ctx):
+    return ctx.channel.id == CHANNEL_ID
 
 
 @BOT.event
diff --git a/src/bot/root_pythia_cogs.py b/src/bot/root_pythia_cogs.py
index 922c310..e0ab293 100644
--- a/src/bot/root_pythia_cogs.py
+++ b/src/bot/root_pythia_cogs.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 import discord
 from discord.ext import commands, tasks
+from discord.ext.commands.errors import CheckFailure
 
 from pngmaker import NewValidatedChallenge
 
@@ -146,6 +147,16 @@ async def verbose_if_idle(self, channel):
 
     @commands.Cog.listener()
     async def on_command_error(self, ctx, error):
+        if isinstance(error, CheckFailure):
+            self.logger.warning(
+                "discord.ext.commands.errors.CheckFailure (is_my_channel?)"
+                " was captured by on_command_error: some global check failed"
+                " for command: '%s' in channel ID '%s'",
+                ctx.command,
+                ctx.channel.id,
+            )
+            return
+
         await ctx.send("Command failed, please check logs for more details")
         await self.verbose_if_idle(ctx)